Iberis plant named `IBSZ0002&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Iberis  plant named ‘IBSZ0002’ particularly distinguished by its large pure white flowers that are early flowering, green foliage and a very vigorous, mounded plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Iberis sempervirens.

Varietal denomination: ‘IBSZ0002’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Iberis, botanically known as Iberis sempervirens, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘IBSZ0002’.

‘IBSZ0002’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘IBSZ0002’ has large pure white flowers that are early flowering, green foliage and a very vigorous, mounded plant habit.

‘IBSZ0002’ originates from an open pollination in a greenhouse in April 2008 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant designated ‘K1032-1’ with small white flowers, darker green foliage and is less branched when compared to ‘IBSZ0002’.

The male parent of ‘IBSZ0002’ was an unpatented proprietary plant designated ‘K1097-1’, with huge white flowers and a tall habit. The resultant seed was sown in August 2008 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

‘IBSZ0002’was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in March 2009 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘IBSZ0002’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2009 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in June 2009 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘IBSZ0002’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘IBSZ0002’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in the European Union on Aug. 29, 2014 and assigned No. 2014/2118. ‘IBSZ0002’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Iberis as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘IBSZ0002’with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of the inflorescences.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands under natural light in March 2015. These plants were approximately 34 weeks old and were growing in 13 cm pots in shade-house trials. The plants used for the photographs were about 34 weeks old growing in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and the photographs were taken in March 2015.

Color Chart used: Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘IBSZ0002’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘IBSZ0002’ ‘IBSZ0001’ Flower size: Larger Smaller Plant size: Larger Smaller Branching habit: Less branching More branching and upright

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Dense, compact, mounded and             branched.         -   Plant height.—14 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—15 cm (without pot).         -   Plant width.—33.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 9 days at about 18             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—3 weeks at 18             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, white, moderate branched.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement and attachment.—Alternate simple-decussate,             sessile.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 147A.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 147A.         -   Length.—4 (juvenile) — 5 (adult) cm.         -   Width.—0.3 (juvenile) — 0.6 (adult) cm.         -   Shape.—Linear, slightly oblanceolate.         -   Base shape.—Attenuate, clasped to stem.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glabrous.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 143C.         -   Venation pattern.—Only main middle vein visible.         -   No petiole.—Sessile. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of main branches.—About 2-5, with each many lateral             branches.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 146D and upper side turning purple: RHS             N186C.         -   Length of stem.—15-20 cm (including peduncle).         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1-1.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Rough, no hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Short simple corymb.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—More than 50.         -   Inflorescence length.—5-7 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—3-3.5 cm at widest point.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 14             days.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Bud (just before opening/showing color):     -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS 150D.         -   Length.—0.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Globose.         -   Pedicel color.—RHS 143B.         -   Pedicel length.—0.7 cm.         -   Pedicel diameter.—0.7 cm.         -   Pedicel texture.—Smooth. -   Corolla:     -   -   Shape of corolla.—4 petals — 2 small and 2 large, smaller             and bigger petals are opposite to each other.         -   Petal, length.—0.6-1.2 cm.         -   Petal, width.—0.4-0.6 cm.         -   Floret depth.—1 cm.         -   Flower depth.—3-4 cm.         -   Petal (all) color, upper surface.—Whiter than RHS N155B.         -   Lower surface.—Whiter than RHS N155B.         -   Upper/shorter petals.—.         -   Length.—0.6 cm.         -   Width.—0.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex shape.—Shallowly rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Lower/longer petals.—.         -   Length.—1.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate to truncate.         -   Apex shape.—Shallowly rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Petal (all) texture, upper surface.—Papillose.         -   Lower surface.—Papillose. -   Calyx:     -   -   Quantity.—4 sepals.         -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 144A.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 144A.         -   Length.—0.25 cm.         -   Width.—0.25 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper/inner surface.—Lustrous.         -   Lower/outer surface.—Lustrous. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—.         -   Pistil quantity.—1.         -   Length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 144C.         -   Style length.—0.25-0.3 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 151B.         -   Stigma shape.—Lobed.         -   Ovary.—Not very discernable.         -   Androecium.—.         -   Stamens, quantity.—6.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 145D-RHS 184A,         -   Length of filaments.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 154D.         -   Anther length.—0.05 cm.         -   Anther shape.—Oval.         -   Pollen amount.—No pollen has been observed.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Neither seed nor fruit production has             been observed.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Resistance to pathogens and pests             common to Iberis has not been observed.         -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—Hardy perennial.             Tolerates high temperature to at least 30 degrees C.             Tolerates low temperatures to minus 25 degrees C. No             specific drought tolerance has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Iberis plant named ‘IBSZ0002’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 